Farmworkers protest Burger King over penny-per-pound tomato deal

CBS 4 MIAMI ^ | 30 NOVEMBER 2007 | AP

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

MIAMI (AP) Hundreds of farmworkers, union members and activists marched through city streets to Burger King headquarters Friday to protest low wages for tomato pickers and alleged exploitation of field workers.

About 300 to 400 protesters gathered under the skyscrapers of Miami's downtown, many wearing yellow T-shirts reading ``Exploitation King'' and ``Burger King Exploits Farmworkers,'' others holding signs saying ``Dignity'' or ``Justice for Tomato Pickers.'' The marchers, some strumming guitars and banging large tin cans with sticks, easily swelled to double that number during their nine-mile trek to Burger King's offices, where a rally was held.

The protesters are pressuring the Miami-based fast-food giant to pay a penny more per pound of Florida tomatoes with their suppliers passing the money on directly to farm workers.

Burger King has not accepted the penny-per-pound deal. The company, owned by Burger King Holdings Inc., says it is willing to negotiate with the workers on a code of conduct for its vendors to prevent worker exploitation, but it sees no clear legal way to directly pay the workers. Tomato growers say it would be illegal to let outside groups set wages.

McDonald's Corp. and Taco Bell owner Yum Brands Inc. have reached similar agreements already with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who organized the march. But those deals are not currently in effuld translate to more than $11 an hour for those who can fill more than 200 buckets a day.

Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, said this season's payroll records show that Florida tomato harvesters' hourly pay averaged $12.46 per hour significantly more than Florida's minimum wage.

``CIW is using today's march in Miami to mislead the public about Florida's tomato industry in a desperate attempt to pressure Burger King into adopting a 'penny-per-pound' deal that does not exist,'' Brown said. ``There is no such arrangement in effect between producers and fast-food companies, which continue to buy Florida tomatoes.''

Steven Grover, a Burger King vice president in charge of food safety and quality assurance, said the door remains open for negotiation, but the mechanism of paying the extra penny directly to the workers ``is very obscure and legally questionable from a number of angles.''

Grover said the protest was the coalition's way of stirring up controversy.

``This protest is a colossal waste of resources and time that could be focused on helping the migrant workers in Immokalee,'' he said.

Tomato farm workers were not the only ones marching Friday. They were joined by members of area unions, religious leaders and even high school students from Naples.

Oscar Salas, a former orange picker from Tampa area who works as a construction worker, said he's seen instances where employers threatened to call immigration authorities if workers asked for more money.

``Wages (for orange pickers) have been stagnant out there for 30 years, just like Williams' drive-by slaying remains unsolved. The tragedy was brought back into focus with the killing this week of Taylor, a star defensive back for the Washington Redskins who was shot in his home in Florida.

[weegee]

How much do the Heinzes pay their tomato pickers?

[Texas Eagle]

Oscar Salas, a former orange picker from Tampa area who works as a construction worker, said he's seen instances where employers threatened to call immigration authorities if workers asked for more money.

Suuuuuuuuure you have, Oscar.

[dfwgator]

Oscar Salas, a former orange picker from Tampa area who works as a construction worker, said he's seen instances where employers threatened to call immigration authorities if workers asked for more money.

Why not? They know there are plenty more illegal workers where that came from.

[Viking2002]

They can swim back from whence they came. I grow my own tomatoes, anyway. And do a better job.

The only thing worse than a shadow band of migrant river rat gypsy invaders, is a shadow band of migrant river rat gypsy invaders who think they should get COLA benefits.Get. Out. Of. My. Yard.

[deport]

I wonder what this .01/lb equates to in average dollars a day for the picker and estimated expense dollars to Burger King on a monthly/yearly basis.

[Graybeard58]

Florida tomatoes? You mean those things at the market that are uniformly red, uniformly round, uniformly tasteless and have the firmness and texture of a base ball and sell for a couple of dollars a pound?

No thanks, I grow my own, we eat what we can and can what we can't.

[Graybeard58]

estimated expense dollars to Burger King on a monthly/yearly basis.

I know you already know this but I will say it anyway. The expense to Burger King will be zero, they will just charge you a nickle or dime more for your whopper. but the socialists will be happy because they will think they are "sticking it to big business".

[AV8gal06]

BK, your service for a “cup-a-joe” has been Horrible!!!

I suppose, since I don’t speak the language (which is not ENGLISH) of your drive-thru person, I don’t get what I order. So, I write to your customer-service center, as you advertise, and never, ever, have gotten a response.

So, even though you are the ONLY place between myself and my job, I gave you up. You don’t care and your lack of response to me “1-800 How are we doing, who cares?” proves it.

MY Point of opinion is: It goes FAR beyond Tomatoes! I am not “sticking it” to anyone, I am paying for a service advertised.

Graybeard58, this is NOT personal to you, just frustration at BK’s service then seeing this sob story... and agreeing that they will charge ME for this...)

[Graybeard58]

So, I write to your customer-service center, as you advertise, and never, ever, have gotten a response.

Last winter, while traveling, I stopped in Joplin, Mo. at an Arbys, just off the interstate. Went in, ordered two sandwiches at almost $10, paid and asked where the rest room was. Told that it was at the rear of the building I walked through a deeply snow covered side walk to get to it, on the way back I fell and I fell hard. Another customer in the lot had to help me to my feet, he was about my age. I'm 62 years old and don't consider myself exactly elderly but it hurt my shoulder and neck really bad.

I went back inside, covered with snow and told the manager what happened, so they would at least clean the walk way (and it might have been nice if he had offered to give me a refund on my order).

No apology, no nothing. I came home, wrote to arbys email address, told them what happened and also told them I would never sue them under any circumstances. The reply I got was: "Which Arbys was it? There's more than one in Joplin". I found it on a map and wrote back and told them. Their reply? "Some franhises are owned by individuals and some by Arbys corporation".

I'm not boycotting Arbys because of it, it's not just Arbys, every place like that has one philosophy when it comes to customer complaints and that is, cover your ass. They have to have that stance because of all the frivilous law suits.

Who I blame is every trial lawyer, liberal judge and liberal jury member. I want nothing from Arbys except an apology for my pain and maybe a promise that they will get the damn walk ways clean of snow and ice but they can't do that.

[biff]

You should have written them back and said your lawyer has the address and you will have him inform them of the address. Just for fun to see if you get a response.